We all remember the scaffold accident that happened near the end of Christmas Eve day at the end of 2009. Metron Construction Inc. had 5 employees on their swing stage and it broke sending 4 out of the 5 employees to their death, 13 stories below. The 5th employee received 2 broken legs and a crushed spine.
Eight work orders, including two stop work orders, were issued prior to the accident. (from Oct. 20 and Dec. 17) Metron complied with the orders and they were lifted shortly after. On Dec. 17, Metron was given three more orders. The ministry said a temporary structure constructed in front of the exit ramp of a parking garage needed to be rectified because it did not meet requirements. Later that day, the MOL returned and found the company was in compliance and lifted the stop-work order.
Since the accident, the ministry has ordered Metron to produce documentation on training records for fall protection training of workers and copies of all health and safety inspections conducted between Sept. 1st and Dec. 24th. It has also requested a list of swing stage rental companies used on the project, minutes of all health and safety meetings and all rental agreements between Metron and its suppliers.
The Ontario Federation of Labour called on Ontario’s attorney general to investigate whether criminal negligence was involved. Bill C45 was created so it can be allowed to lay criminal charges if a company causes death or a serious injury due to negligence. The Ontario government officials said it is the police who should decide whether charges of criminal negligence should be laid in the deaths.
My opinion
The Westray Bill was definitely created to protect workers and is now part of the criminal code. Section 217.1 of the criminal code states, “Everyone, who undertakes, or has the authority to direct how a person does work or performs a task, is under a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm to that person, or any other person, arising from that work or task.” (I teach Basic Certification, Level 1, which covers this)
In the event of a death at the workplace, the police are the first to investigate, and the MOL, awaits their finds. They do begin an investigation but allow the police the primary position. It is important to note that the police could be the OPP, the regional police, local police or the RCMP, depending on jurisdiction.
The latest on this case is that 61 charges have been laid so far including criminal negligence causing death. Bill C45 and its purpose will be under severe scrutiny. It will be interesting to note where the charges lead and to see the final disposition of them. I hope we do not see that the charges will be thrown out of court like we did at Westray in or we recently saw in Alberta in the death of a 16 year forklift victim. Life is too precious and a worker’s life is the responsibility of the employer, in any jurisdiction.
The Ontario Federation of Labour should already be aware that Bill C45 directs the police, not the government. The government cannot act until the police have concluded their investigation.
By the way, the 5th employee, the unlucky one that lived through this, has a lawsuit pending against Metron and Swing-N-Staff, the owner of the swing stage. I believe the lawsuit is for 16.5 million dollars. His lifetime healthcare will cost at least that much.
HRS Group Inc. has a great team that can help you with all your health and safety needs. Contact Deborah toll free at 1-877-907-7744 or locally at 705-749-1259.
We can also be reached at info@hrsgroup.com
Remember — In Ontario, “ALL Accidents are Preventable”
‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.
Daniel L. Beal
CHSEP – Foundation Level
VP & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.
Thank you for providing great information.
Thank you for providing great information.
Now I know, thanks for the info, I value your opinion alot more.
I love your blog, would you consider to swap inbound links with me?
Great blog.
Your website is greatly appreciated.
Nice blog.
Nice blog.
Great blog.
It really is wonderful to see folks who seem to take blogs seriously (but definitely not too seriously!) and that they bring in an audience of quality folks to their web log.
I have got to point out how much I need to go along with you on the content all about An Example Bill C45 is Working and is Needed | HRSGroup – Providing Occupational Health and Safety Training. My hubby and I discover a lot more that individuals tend to be simply not equipped to hear common sense in terms of this kind of area of interest. Carry on the excellent efforts and I will go on reading in addition to the any other grateful readers at this website.
Nice blog.
Excellent blog.
Great blog, thanks.
Thank you for posting this info. I bookmarked your site.
This post is great. I like the type of people who share knowledge with others.
So like I saw your blog and it like totally told me whats up thanks for your input.
From your numerous comments, I can sure see I’m not the only person having enjoyment here! Keep up the great work!
I really thought the writing in the blog was very complex, in a good way.
This is the very first occasion I have visited this site and I have been truly impressed with the quality of both the blog itself plus the comments from the content here. It is great to discover folks who take blogging seriously (but possibly not too seriously!) and that they attract an audience of good quality people for their web log.
I am not fluent with English but I found this really easy to understand .
I need to say that this site really has a selection of really good quality content and also it really is wonderful to see this sort of thinking with like minded, and good quality, people here.
Very clean web site , thank you for this post.
Very nicely done.
Cool article it is without doubt. Friend of mine has been looking for this update.
Just read your post and wanted to say how much I loved it!
Thank you. excellent post.
Thanks, I have been hunting for facts about this topic for ages and yours is the best I’ve discovered so far.
Do you people have a twitter fan web page? I searched for one on facebook but couldn’t discover it, I would really like to become a fan!
I would like to thank you for this good article and please allow me to have the opportunity to show my satisfaction.
I found your entry interesting do I’ve added a ‘Trackback’ to it on my weblog.
I am quite interested in this topic and I hope you will elaborate more on it in future posts.
I have to say you produce many fantastic points and I hope you have other just as interesting blogs.
Way cool, some valid points! I appreciate you making this post available, the rest of the blog is also well done. I hope you have a wonderful day.
You have a fantastic blog right here!
I truly wished to post a note so that you can value you for all you pleasant remedies you’re expressing at this web site. My personal continuous internet exploration has by the end for the day been thankful with great tricks to check out with our business. My spouse and i ‘d declare that numerous people visitors have become significantly privileged to live in a wonderful system with biggest reason so many excellent people who have worthwhile tips. I feel instead happy to get encountered your entire web page and search toward truly far more entertaining times looking at the following. Many thanks yet again for several issues.
Hey there! I understand this is somewhat off-topic but I had to ask. Does running a well-established blog like yours require a large amount of work? I’m brand new to operating a blog but I do write in my journal daily. I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my own experience and views online. Please let me know if you have any recommendations or tips for brand new aspiring bloggers. Thankyou!
Keep up the good work.
I’ll be back. Very nice work.
A blog like yours should be earning much money from adsense.
I remember these guys first few days of work. They blocked a fire exit while a Metron manager and Cogir Manager was outside in the parking lot overseeing the workers. It is obivious that fire exits are not supposed to blocked. So of course a Fire Marshall showed up the next day informing the management company of the infraction.
Ministy isn’t all that innocent either. Theyt may put on paper companies are in compliance, but that is only because they are taking companies word it will be done which buys them a bit more time. So what also needs to be done is when a Ministry worker signs off on a work order, someone should check into right away.
I was very pleased to find this site. I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.
I have been surfing about your blog and it looks really neat. impassioned about your writing. I am creating a new blog and hard-pressed to make it appear great, and supply excellent articles. I have discovered a lot on your site and I look forward to additional updates and will be back.
Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! I’m sure you had fun writing this article.
Nice Blog.
Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commentors here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! I’m sure you had fun writing this article.
Thank you for all the great information you are providing for free.
Although some of websites may contain spam information, it appears your does not have that problem. Excellent information.
You guys really know how to write a blog! This was extremely helpful. Thank you vey much.
What a great blog and revealing post.
Excellent site. It was easy to follow for me.
Good read. Required more pictures though.
Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the write-up. It proved to become pretty useful to me and I am positive to all the commenters here. Its always great when you can not only be informed, but also entertained. Im certain you had fun writing this up.
I always follow your blog site. Narrator is very beautiful and informative articles. Would like to thank all the authors I wish you success.
I like the helpful info you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I’m quite sure I will learn lots of new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!
When are you going to post again? You really entertain a lot of people!
Wow! very nice information! Thanks a lot for sharing this article with me.
Excellent information.
Hello, I know this is not exactly your topic “An Example Bill C45 is Working and is Needed | HRSGroup – Providing Occupational Health and Safety Training”, but I have a blog using the wordpress platform as well and I’m having issues with my comments displaying. Is there a setting I am forgetting? Maybe you could help me out? Thank you.
Hi! I just want to tell you that I found this blog really useful to me. I will visit this blog regularly to read more. Thanks.
You are an excellent blogger.
Hi! I just want to tell you that I found this blog really useful to me. I will visit this blog regularly to read more. Thanks.
Keep up the good work.
Keep up the good work.
Where do you get all this stuff?
I want to thank you for the great work you are doing.
I want to thank you for all the great information you are providing.
Hello! Just want you to know that I really found this website really helpful to me. I will come back to this blog more often to read more. Thanks.
I want to thank you for all the great information you are providing.
You made a number of great suggestions and points. Good luck in the future.
Congratulations on possessing certainly one of one of the vital sophisticated blogs I’ve arrived across in a while! Its just superb how you are able to think about a topic and complete a nice blog about it. . This is definitely a should-see web site!
I am glad to be a visitor of this wonderful weblog! Thanks for this rare information!
Thank you for the wise critique. Me & my neighbour were preparing to do some research about that. We received a great book on that matter from our local library and most books where not as influensive as your information and facts. Im really glad to see this kind of facts which I was searching for a long time.
I like this info presented and it has given me some sort of desire to succeed for some reason, so keep up the good work.
Good for you!
Good for you. Nice information.
Excellent information.
I want to thank you for all the great information you are providing.
Great blog. Many websites like yours cover subjects that aren’t found in magazines.
Wow,Fantastic article, it’s so helpful to me,and your blog is very good. I’ve learned a lot from you.